Circumcision clamp



Dec. 19, 1961 R. COHEN CIRCUMCISION CLAMP Filed Sept. 7, 1960 INVENTOR.COHEN ROBERT ATTORNEYS United. States Patent 3,013,560 CIRCUMCISIONCLAMP Robert Cohen, 2415 Niles St., Bakersfield, Calif. Filed Sept. 7,1960, Ser. No. 54,523 2 Claims. (Cl. 128-346) The present inventionrelates to surgical instruments generally, and in particular to aninstrument for use while performing the operation known as circumcision.

Various surgical instruments have been proposed in the past, and someare in use at present, which are employed in the operation ofcircumcision. Not all of such instruments that have been proposed orthat are in use have found acceptance in the medical or surgicalprofession. A chief objection to the instruments in use is that they arecumbersome and unwieldly. Some of the instruments in use do not preventhemorrhage after the operation and other means must be employed to stopthe bleeding of the severed prepuce.

An object of the present invention is to provide a surgical instrumentfor use while. performing the operation known as circumcision which hasmeans for stopping the flow of blood after the operation and for holdingthe skin while the proper blood clot forms.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a surgicalinstrument for use while performing the operation of circumcision whichis simple in structure, one which may be handled by one hand while theother hand handles the tissue severing blade, and one which is highlyeffective in action.

These and other objects and advantages will be fully apparent from thefollowing description when taken in consideration with the annexeddrawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the surgical instrument according tothe present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the forward end of the instrument, showingthe jaws in separated or open condition,

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view of the forward end of the instrument,showing it in use with the tissue lifting element of the instrumentengaging the prepuce prior to severing of the latter,

FIGURE 4 is a view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG- URE 3, on an enlargedscale, and

FIGURE 5 is a view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG- URE 4.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing in which like numeralsindicate like parts throughout the several views, the reference numeraldesignates generally the surgical instrument of the present inventionand which comprises a pair of handle members 12 and 14 pivotallyconnected intermediate their ends for movement toward and away from eachother.

Jaws 16 and 18 are formed from the portions of the handle members 12 and14 forwardly of the pivotal connection of the handle member 12 to thehandle member 14. The confronting faces of the jaws 16 and 18 areserrated, as at 20 and 22 in FIGURE 4.

The serrations 20 and 22 extend along the confronting faces of the jaws16 and 18, respectively, except for the interruption of a recess 24 inthe jaw 16 and another recess 26 in the jaw 18. The recesses 24 and 26are in registry with each other when the jaws are closed and the handlemembers 12 and 14 are moved toward each other.

3,013,560 Patented Dec. 19, 1961 The present invention provides asupporting means, indicated generally by the reference numeral 28,including a tissue lifting element 30 and a penis depressing member 32arranged in vertical spaced relation with respect to the lifting element30. The supporting means is in the form of a rod 34 connecting theelement 30 and the member 32 together and also extending from theelement 30 to the one handle member 14 to which it is secured by weldingor other means.

The tissue lifting element 30 comprises a pair of prongs 36 and 38adapted to engage and lift the prepuce, as at 40 in FIGURE 5. The penisdepressing member 32 is of a size to engage the free end of the penis 42within the prepuce 40, as in FIGURE 5. The depressing member 32 isprovided with a 'pair of slots 44 for the escape of body fluid, if foundnecessary.

Means is provided and carried on the handle members 12 and 14 forlocking the handle members 12 and 14 together when they have been movedtoward each other. This means consists in interengaging hook elements 46and 48 extending toward each other from the handle members 12 and 14 onthe ends of the latter remote from the jaws 16 and 18.

In use, the instrument 10 is employed as shown in FIGURES 3 and 5 togrippingly engage between the serrated faces of the jaws 16 and 18, theprepuce 40 and to draw the same outwardly of the penis 42 with theprongs 36 and 38 of the tissue lifting element 30 engaged on the innerwall of the prepuce.

After the handle members 12 and 14 have been locked, as in FIGURE 1, asurgical knife is employed to sever the extended end portion of theprepuce 40.

i It is an important feature of the present invention that theserrations 20 and 22 on the jaws 16 and 18 grip the skin in the mannerof a hemostat and hold the same until clotting occurs after the skin hasbeen cut. The jaws 16 and 18 are narrow, as shown in FIGURE 4, andpermit the blood to clot without danger of forming any necrotic materialin the severed end portion of the skin.

Should the infant urinate while the operation is being performed, theurine will escape from under the depressing member 32 without dislodgingthe same from its position on the head of the penis 42.

What is claimed is:

1. In a surgical instrument, a pair of elongated handle memberspivotally connected together intermediate their ends for movement towardand away from each other, the

portions of said handle members forwardly of the pivoted connectionserving as jaws, the confronting faces of said jaws having serrationsextending therealong, there being a recess in the serrations of each jawintermediate the ends thereof, said recesses being in registry with eachother when said hande members have been moved toward each other, asupporting means embodying a tissue lifting element and a penisdepressing member arranged in vertical spaced relation with respect tosaid lifting element positioned so that the lifting element is abovesaid jaws and the depressing member is beneath said jaws, and meansdependingly supporting said lifting element and said depressing memberfrom one of said handle members, said supporting means being receivedbetween and engaged by said recesses when said handle members have beenmoved toward each other. I

2. In a surgical instrument, a pair of elongated handle memberspivotally connected together intermediate their ends for movement towardand away from each other, the portions of said handle members forwardlyof the pivoted connection serving as jaws, the confronting faces of saidjaws having serrations extending therealong, there being a recess in theserrations of each jaw intermediate the ends thereof, said recessesbeing in registry with each other when said handle members have beenmoved toward each other, a supporting means embodying a tissue liftingelement and a penis depressing member arranged in vertical spacedrelation with respect to said lifting element positioned so that thelifting element is above said jaws and the depressing member is beneathsaid jaws, and means embodying a rod dependingly supporting said liftingelement and said depressing member from one of said handle members, saidrod being received between and engaged by said recesses when said handlemembers have been moved toward each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS LivotiSept. 14, 1954

